The googled eagles
by Andaloup
Summary: Centuries after magic got strange, steampowered and clockwork machines took over the world. New lifestyles are pushed on many people but the world still needs adventurers. Follow the story of the googled eagles, a rather unnusual adventuring group.
1. Chapter 1

**The ****googled****eagles**

**Chapter 1. The new world**

_**By Andaloup**_

Boa woke that morning and slowly got up to open the window, letting the sun warm her skin. Nights in Sessareth were as cold as the days were hot, but the yuan-ti girl did not mind: her people liked the sun. She looked outside, seeing the people going to work: gnome technicians, human worker, kobold tinkerer and the few yuan-ti who had a job in the machine quarter's workshop. The snake girl smiled, thinking only a few centuries ago, such sights would be unimaginable.

Her mother and father had often told her the tales of the old world. About a millennium ago, human magiocracies ruled the material plane and warred against each other constantly. At some point, nobody really knows why or how, but a nation went too far in the eyes of the gods. The divinities then decided they had enough of the magi being overused and stroke the mortal world hard. In a apocalyptic event known as the "the mage hammer", all magic nations went under and magic became highly unstable or plainly inexistent in some part.

Ever since, human and gnomes became beacon of hopes, for they started developing machines that could work without magic. Steampower and clockwork machine quickly spread as many people of the old world had to change their way of life. Such was the case of the yuan-ti who had lost all links to their evil god. Left to themselves, they rapidly saw that human society had a place for their intelligence and cold-blooded attitude. Their valor slowly changed as well, Boa often chuckled at what their ancestor would think if they saw the way her mother would comb her shoulder-length hair or told her she was too thin, even for a yuan-ti.

Today was different however. The snake girl put on her clothes and gathered her brand new adventuring gear, finishing with the two pistols her old boss agreed to lend her. She couldn't resist taking them out in a threatening fashion, the way her father, a local private eye, taught her. She left her small apartment and went knocking on the door next to hers. A young lady with long ears peeking through her auburn hair and deep blue eyes answered. She was dressed in a similar fashion and had a crossbow on her back.

"Hi Izzy! Boa said. Ready to go?

-In a minute, she answered with a soft melodious voice. Trynn is still packing."

Behind her was a young man with black hair dressed in a leather outfit. He was busy rummaging through a back pack.

"Hey! He replied defensively. This is my first time adventuring; I want it to be good.

Boa met Izzy and Trynn a few months ago. They were street performers who moved from the art quarter in order to have less competition. They didn't always have enough money for rent and food, so the snake girl often invited them to share the extra meal her mother had sent her. They were orphans who grew at the local Chauntea orphanage and even though they had no blood ties (Trynn was human while Izzy was half-elf) they treated each other like brother and sister. When Boa found out about an adventuring opportunity, she invited them to come along, knowing they could use the extra gold.

Trynn finally put on his backpack and they all left, heading north.


	2. Chapter 2

**The googled eagles**

_Chapter 2 : The life of an adventurer_

Boa, Izzy and Trynn were making their way up Cog Street. They soon arrived in view of the noble quarter. Sessareth had seven quarter, each one being managed by one of the merchant princes (except the noble quarter which fell under the jurisdiction of the governor). The young adventurers went around the rich estates, passed the art quarter and made a turn on Silk Street in the clothes quarter. As they walked pass the many clothing shop, Izzy couldn't stop herself to look at a few. She never had much in her wardrobe and all who knew her were aware of her good (but expensive) tastes. As soon as she noticed her adopted brother glaring at her tough, she tried to keep her attention elsewhere.

Soon, they would be part of the adventurer's guild after all. But before, they had to prove that they were worth of the guild's trust. Founded centuries ago and present in almost all the cities in the world, the adventurer's guild provided work, information and funds to the bold and skilled. However, to get in, you had to accomplish a task. When Boa had come to them with news of a way to the old underground city, they knew at once it would qualify. After all, the gnomes who had built the old cities were known to be great engineers. The untouched ruins would be sure to be filled with blueprints for old technologies, a few magic items that could still work, and, most important of all: power crystals. Thos crystals were made by the gnomes in the old time and could supply energy to any machine adapted to it. Alpha crystals, barely larger than a hand were very common, as well as beta crystals who were the size of a bottle. However, delta, sigma and the mythical omega crystals could only be found in ruins of the old world. The high demand for such artefact to power big machines like airships or locomotives was one of the reason adventurers could make a lot of money by exploring old ruins.

Once passed the spinning factories, the sheep pasture and the cotton field, they were in the northern rocky hills. Izzy knew that Boa often came here when she had free time from her job at the clockshop. Apparently, one of the small earthquakes from the recent days had opened an access to the old citie's air vent. And now, in front of them, was said opening. They all looked at each other and nodded. Boa took one of her pistol out and went first, her darkvision allowing her to see without a lamp. Then went Trynn with his lantern and the half elf went last.


End file.
